Although it took almost four years to build, cost much more than expected, and is the subject of a lawsuit against the original contractor, the City of Boca Raton Spanish River Library appears poised to be a huge success.

The Library opened with a grand flourish on Saturday, January 26th. Over 2,000 people attended the first day ceremonies which included clowns, magicians, a bounce house and a harpist.

My informal survey of the initial crowd was overwhelming positive and I wholeheartedly concur with this sentiment.

The architectural details that comprise the physical building have a mediterranean flair and make the premises a visual delight. The library itself is well thought out and provides something for everyone.

There's a teen room that specializes in teen books, a children's computer lab with specially pre-programmed games, a tiny tots reading room called pooh's corner, a cafe situated next to a beautiful outdoor terrace, conference rooms available for rent, an adult computer lab, a gift shop and a plentiful assortment of books, books on tape and videos.

Programs for the new library are scheduled to start immediately and include Story Time, Tween and Teen programs, a Sunday speaker series and a Book Club. The hours of operation are 9 to 9 Monday through Thursday, 9 to 6 Friday and Saturday and 12 to 8 on Sunday.

Having such an amazing library and great programming really was worth the wait.

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